Buffalo, N.Y. Approves Parks Smoking Ban

Smoking in the parks of Buffalo, N.Y. could soon become illegal, as yesterday the city’s Common Council unanimously approved a near-total ban on lighting up as well as the use of electronic cigarettes.

The ban must still get the signature of Mayor Byron Brown, who has not given any indication whether or not he will sign it. Should he sign it, the ban would go into effect immediately and violators would face fines between $50 and $500.

While it’s being heralded as a wide-reaching ban, each park will likely get a designated smoking area that is away from playgrounds and other areas that are heavily frequented by park users, in particular children. Those are still to be decided by the city’s public works department.

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the Spring Training public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies, PA announcer for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, and PA announcer for the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA. I'm also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, plus I'm a voice talent and writer, among other things. I previously covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.